"Gang justice" leaves authorities with no leads

KATHERINE ROSENBERG Staff Writer

Wednesday

Jan 9, 2008 at 2:21 PMJan 9, 2008 at 11:36 PM

VICTORVILLE - There were three drive-by shootings between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 4 a.m. Wednesday, and with a slew of uncooperative victims and witnesses, authorities are led to believe the gang members involved intend to "handle things themselves."

It's a reflection of the local gang problem that has authorities constantly questioning, if you don't have a victim, do you have a crime?

No one was reported injured in any of the three shootings, but officials from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said it is not uncommon for "victims" to withhold information, even injuries, from law enforcement.

The first call came from the 15000 block of Cobalt around 7 p.m., said Detective Jeremy Martinez who heads up the gang unit at the Victorville station. The motivation behind the shooting was unknown, and authorities believe it was an isolated incident.

Deputy Jarry Burns handled the next two drive by shootings, one around 11 p.m. and the second at roughly 4 a.m.. Burns also described the victims and witnesses as uncooperative and investigators believe those two shootings, one in the 12000 block of Arrowhead Road and the second in the 15400 block of Sitting Bull Street were related to one another.

"We have shots fired at buildings and more uncooperative victims. We believe they are connected in terms of either retaliation or disrespect," Martinez said.

Authorities have long maintained that gang members would prefer to handle "justice" on their own, without the help of law enforcement. That pervasive belief system leaves deputies with few options for solving the crimes.

Officials also said that three drive-by shootings in one night is a rare occurrence, but they are not aware of any active gang wars in the area.

Katherine Rosenberg can be reached at 951-6276 or by e-mail at krosenberg@vvdailypress.com.

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